Large investment is made in the construction of up to 165 hectares of greenhouse operations in Manisa, Aydin and Denizli, utilising excess hot water from geothermal power plants by Zorlu Enerji in the surroundings.

Reported locally earlier this month, Zorlu Enerji in Turkey announced that several greenhouses will be built that will be utilising “waste” heat form geothermal power plants in Turkey.

Ali Kindap, General Manager of Zorlu Enerji and Chair of the Turkish Geothermal Power Plant Investors Association (JESDER) announced that 165 hectares of greenhouses will be built in Manisa, Aydin and Denizli. The overall investment is expected at EUR 132 million to build greenhouses. “Three geothermally heated greenhouses will create employment for 3,000 people. Local people will be recruited and they will also work in the logistics.” Kindap added.

The greenhouses will be heated by the waste water from Zorlu Energy’s geothermal power plant in Saraykoy, Denizli. According to Kindap, all the infrastructure work is completed and that in Saraykoy in an area of 65 hectares, 2,000 people will start working.

34.7 hectares of geothermally heated greenhouses will be built in Alasehir, Manisa. 80% of the infrastructure costs will be met by the state.

The remaining 65 hectares of greenhouses will be built in Efeler, Aydin where infrastructure work is ongoing. Kindap stated that for 1 MW of energy an investment of USD 4 million is needed and that the sector invests $1 billion for 200-250 MW of development a year.